Discover Nauka: Mexico’s Hidden Land of Four Worlds

​​​​​​​A team of visionaries, one extraordinary destination — where Mexico’s wild beauty meets a new definition of luxury. 

​​​​​On the untouched Pacific coast of Riviera Nayarit, Nauka rises like a secret, a place where volcanic cliffs, tropical jungle, and the calmest stretch of ocean converge. It is here that LIFE Properties International created something that transcends the concept of a resort or residence. Under the leadership of Founder Jaime Fasja, co-founder and co-CEO of Thor Urbana Capital, and with impactful partners like Mark Birnbaum, co-founder of Catch Hospitality Group, LIFE’s Nauka is setting the stage for a new generation of legacy communities and private club living immersed in culture and nature.  

“It’s not about building over nature,” Fasja says. “It’s about blending into it.” With a 25-year track record in real estate and hospitality development, Fasja is an expert when it comes to mindfully approaching projects with a creative eye for incredible architecture and holistic experiences in surreal settings. ​

“We think of our property as having four different environments,” Birnbaum explains. “You start at the golf course, at the flatlands, then you go off to the mountains, and you come down to the estuary, then peek over the water, you cross a bridge and now you’re playing three holes on the beach alongside the jungle. And when you cross back, you land back in the jungle.”

LIFE is shaping a community that celebrates Mexico’s raw beauty, cultural depth, and ecological integrity. A destination that redefines what it means to live luxuriously and consciously.

​​The Story of a Land That Spoke for Itself

​​​​Nauka’s story begins not with blueprints, but with discovery. Fasja recalls arriving on the site, over 900 acres of pristine land, four distinct environments, and close to five miles of coastline, knowing immediately that this location was different.​

“When we arrived at the site,” he says. “We said the only thing we need to do is not mess with what we have. The architecture had to blend within the landscape, to look as if it’s always been there.”

From its inactive volcano to its over two-mile-long beach, every element of Nauka’s design follows the rhythm of the land. More than 90 percent of the terrain remains untouched. Its name, Nauka, meaning “four” in the local Wixárika language honors the four environments that define it: ocean, estuary, volcano, and jungle.

“We let the land tell us what it wanted to be,” Fasja explains. “You can’t recreate this somewhere else. You can only protect it.”​​

A Shared Vision​​​

For Birnbaum, who has spent decades shaping nightlife, dining, and hospitality experiences that define urban culture, Nauka represents evolution and grounding.​​

“I’ve been to Hawaii, Costa Rica, the Bahamas and I’ve never once brought someone to Nauka who said, ‘I’ve seen something like this before.’ Never,” he says. “Add to that the new infrastructure – the highway that cuts travel time from Puerto Vallarta from a two-and-a-half-hour drive to 45 minutes, and it became clear: this was the next great destination.​​​​

Their shared vision fuses Birnbaum’s global sensibility with Fasja’s deep connection to Mexico’s landscape and heritage. The result is a project that feels organic yet meticulously designed — a balance of nature and refinement.​​

The Spirit of Connection

At Nauka, luxury extends far beyond architecture or amenities. The upcoming Siari Riviera Nayarit, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, opening in November, sits hidden within the jungle — offering privacy that feels elemental.​

“Beaches in Mexico are public by definition,” Birnbaum notes. “But because of the marina and volcanic cliffs, we ended up with a beach that feels truly private – something that is nearly impossible to find in Mexico.”​​

Hidden deep within the lush jungle, Nauka’s wellness sanctuary reflects LIFE’s commitment to honoring the local Wixárika culture, whose sacred traditions inspired the design and curation of the retreat, as well as an incredible array of experiences that will be available to members.

“Instead of having a concrete building as you’ll see spas all over the world,” Fasja says. “Our sanctuary is tucked into the jungle.”​

Here, nature sets the rhythm, plunge pools glisten under filtered sunlight, saunas and jacuzzies are surrounded by tropical foliage, and cold plunges invite renewal amid the sounds of nature. Yet, beyond the familiar comforts, guests are drawn into something far more spiritual: amazing cacao ceremonies and sound healing ceremonies rooted in ancient traditions, designed to connect visitors with the energy of the land itself.

What makes the sanctuary truly unique, however, is its seamless blend of tradition and innovation.

“Neurofeedback” Fasja continues. “It’s one of those things where it’s mixing cutting-edge technology with the ancient treatments of the place.”​

Using non-invasive sensors placed on the head, guests can explore how their minds and bodies respond to different stimuli in real time. As you go through different experiences, you’d have Nauka’s head of the wellness program studying what’s triggering you and what’s calming you. An approach that turns wellness into both a science and a journey, one that begins in the jungle and ends in a deeper state of balance.

Q&A: The Minds Behind Nauka

Haute Living: Nauka went from raw jungle and dirt roads to a Ritz Reserve– in just three years. How did you trust in this vision when so few people even knew about the region?

Jaime Fasja: This is what we’ve been doing for over 25 years. We’ve seen beaches and coastline destinations around the world, but when I got to Nauka, it was just something I’d never seen before—the sand, the calmness of the water, the jungle right next to the beach. It’s magical. There’s a great energy here; everyone feels it immediately. You know you’re at Nauka and nowhere else. It started with creating what we call our village, nestled in the jungle. From there came Siari Riveria Nayarit, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, opening this November.

​​​​​HL: The Residences are designed by leading firms to harmonize with nature. How do you preserve the jungle, wildlife, and coastline while creating world-class luxury homes?

Jaime Fasja: We actually have a team of twenty-five biologists on staff that are fully engaged in making sure we maintain the flora and fauna on the property. We also have a great turtle nesting season. There are certain areas, for example, our golf course, where it took us six months more than we originally planned because we could not disturb certain parts of the beach during the turtle nesting season. So we decided to pause our process, allowing for the turtles to nest.

Mark Birnbaum: We also wanted to make sure that we were not just draining our dwells, but actually giving back. We added a huge water treatment plant, so our golf course and most of our landscape is watered by treated water instead of fresh water. And the same applies to a lot when we were beginning construction – for example, there are various beautiful trees surrounding the hotel that we did not want to disrupt, because – even if we legally could – we would have not done that to the land because it’s what makes this place special. So we designed a hotel around the plant life, moving a lot of the buildings making sure to place them around those trees. We have amazing Papalillo trees, we have Ingeras, we have beautiful trees that need to stay there because they’ve been there for hundreds of years.

HL: What role do you see Nauka playing in positioning Puerta Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit as the “waves of the future” for luxury hospitality?

Jaime Fasja: The region is now seeing more investment than Cabo. Cabo will always be iconic, but it’s become too dense and too much concrete. Here, we have better weather, better beaches, and a pristine ocean—no seagrass or sargassum like the Caribbean side. You can walk 100 feet into the Pacific at Nauka, and the water is still at your waist. It’s perfect for families. The area is truly the next wave of luxury travel in Mexico​

Haute Living: How does the culinary scene come alive?

Mark Birnbaum: When we talk about “catch of the day,” we mean it—our chefs decide what to cook based on what our fishermen bring in. Beyond that, we offer everything from Italian nights using imported flour and locally grown tomatoes to world-class meats and seafood. What’s truly special is our connection to Bruma, our property in Mexico’s wine country, home to Fauna, the number one restaurant in Mexico and among the top five in Latin America. Our chef, David Castro Hussong, curates all of Nauka’s menus.

Haute Living: What does the perfect day at Nauka look like?

Jaime Fasja: A perfect day here has endless variations. You start with an authentic Mexican breakfast overlooking the ocean, play 18 holes of golf, then surf in the afternoon—there are more than ten surf breaks within 20 minutes. Families gather at the beach club by sunset for paddle or pickleball on the sand. Dinner is true farm-and-sea-to-table: your meal is what our fishermen caught that morning. There’s no pretense, just nature, wellness, and joy.

HL: If you had to capture the Nauka story in one word for the world, what would it be? 

Mark Birnbaum: Serenity
Jaime Fasja: Community

Nauka is bringing back a sense of nostalgia and community that feels almost lost in today’s world, a reminder of the days when families returned to the same place year after year, reuniting with familiar faces who became like family. Inspired by those timeless traditions, Nauka invites guests to return, reconnect, and build lasting memories. In an age of constant movement, it’s a destination that feels like coming home.